I have a question regarding setting a stone in a marquise V-end
setting. What do I do with the V-ends after the stone is set…I
can’t seem to remember. Any helpful hints from all of the
extremely talented people on this forum would be greatly
appreciated. Yes…I read evey message posted on orchid. Wow
what an education I have received along with tired eyes.

Hi Claudia: As you prepare to set the stone, use a 60 degree
bearing bur to cut a small ledge in the inside of the V- Prong.
Now take a small ball bur and make a deeper recess for the point
of the stone. Remember, nothing ever touches the tip of the
stone. Do this at each V-prong. Now cut your seats in the rest of
the prongs and try the fit. If the stone rests level in the
setting, and both points are on the ledge and the tips are clear,
you may now set the stone by tightening the 4 prongs. Once the
stone is set, use a 4/0 sawblade and gently cut along the leading
edge of each V- prong. With a pair of pliers close the gap
created and cut through it again. This will move the v- prong
close to the stone. Once you are satisfied with the way the prong
closed on the stone, take a file and file the top of the v down
to about 70% free standing metal ( FSM or free standing metal is
the GIA term for the prong as it extends up from the girdle of
the stone to the top of the table. That distance being 100%) With
a burnisher, close the sawn gap and file and polish the V-prong
as well as the rest of the prongs.By the way, filing a small
groove into the bench pin and resting each prong in it as you cut
your seats, you will prevent running the bur around the entire
prong by mistake. Hope that helps.

What do I do with the V-ends after the stone is set…I can’t seem
to remember.

It depends a little bit on the stone. But say for a marq.
diamond, the theory is to apply NO pressure to the tip of the
stone, yet have the V prong snuggly surround the stone without
any gaps what-so-ever. The process I use is the following.Cut the
seats of the other prongs of the setting before the V prongs,
this will help you determine the exact point that the point of
the marq. will touch the V prong. At that point drill a hole
about 1/2 way thru the prong with a small drill (usually about .8
mm in diameter). then with the drill still in place rock it to
one side and then the other to create the beginnings of a bearing
for the girdle of the stone to rest on. Next take a small bud bur
with the point in the hole made by the drill and enlarge the hole
to a bit of a cone shape. Next lay the stone in place to be sure
the point of the marq. is still going into the center of the hole
you have created. If so, take a small 45 degree bur and finish
the seats for the girdle that you began by rocking the drill back
and forth, the seats should match the shape of the stones
pavillion. That done I lay the stone in place, tighten the center
prongs almost fully first, then making sure you are not applying
any pressure to the tip of the stone, pull in the prongs by
squeezing tip to tip with pliers. Just before they reach the
stone stop, then squeeze either side of the V with pliers being
carefull not to touch the stone with the pliers (chip). At this
point I use my hammer on my flex shaft to tap gently at a 45
degree angle on either side of the V to lay it against the stone.
Keep in mind the tip is not touching anything but there is not
visible gapping. The final finishing step, which is really what
you asked about, is to lower the hieght of the prong with a file
to just a hair higher than the table of the stone. With a sharp
flat graver cut a perfect V on the inside of the V, pushing into
the V alternating sides, beveling very slightly, not pushing on
the stone. Finally file the outside, beveled slightly in, leaving
a bit of a flat surface on the top of the V. To polish, rubber
wheel maintaining the nice edges and use a high polishing
silicon wheel to make everything crisp and shiny. The silicone
wheel will prevent rounding it off at polishing. Hope that helps.